1 To the chief musician, upon Neginoth (stringed instruments); an instruction of David,
2 When the Ziphites went in and said to Saul, Is not David hiding himself with us?
3 O God, by thy name save me, by thy might judge (vindicate) me.
4 O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.
5 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul; they set not God before them. Selah.
6 Behold, God [is] a helper for me; the Lord [is] with them that uphold my soul.
7 He will requite the evil to my adversaries; in thy truth cut them off.
8 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice unto thee; I will praise thy name, O Jehovah, for [it is] good.
9 For out of all trouble he delivered me; and mine eye hath looked (seen its desire) upon mine enemies.
Notes on Psalm 54
This psalm is “To the chief musician upon Neginoth (stringed instruments): a psalm of instruction of David, when the Ziphites went in and said to Saul, Is not David hiding himself with me?” The name of God (Elohim) will be everything in that dark hour to the godly Jews in the latter day, when they find themselves driven away by their apostate brethren, amalgamated with the lawless Gentiles, and Antichrist at their head. God’s name is the revelation of what He is, and to this they cling in faith, when they have lost all else. As they besought by it, so they will give thanks and praise it when it emerges as Jehovah (ver. 8), in the power and glory of His day when His hand makes good what His mouth had spoken.
These psalms (55-58) continue in various forms the feelings produced by Christ’s Spirit in circumstances which look on to the last crisis when the godly Jews suffer from Antichrist and his partisans, especially in Jerusalem and the land. David had these trials in the case of Absalom, and Ahithophel; our Lord far more deeply through the treachery of Judas. But the Spirit of prophecy links all that is past with the coming hour, when the outward oppression and inward apostasy bring the sense of evil at its worst on the true-hearted Jews. Thus God is more and more looked to, not man or circumstances as the result, not only to sustain the sufferers in patience but to bring in deliverance and blessing in power.